The Disappearing Mechanical Connection: How Fly-By-Wire Technology is Changing the Way We Drive

Valerie Raskovic

Sep 09, 2025

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For more than a century, driving a car meant being mechanically connected to it. Turning the steering wheel rotated a physical column linked directly to the front wheels. Pressing the gas pedal pulled a throttle cable. Stepping on the brakes engaged a hydraulic system that you could feel through your foot. This mechanical connection gave drivers not just control but also a sense of feedback, what enthusiasts often call “road feel.” But in recent years, much of that tactile link has been replaced by something known as fly-by-wire technology and the changes it’s bringing to the driving experience are profound.

What “Fly-By-Wire” Means

The term “fly-by-wire” originated in aviation. Instead of the pilot’s controls directly moving the plane’s rudder, ailerons or elevators, sensors detect the inputs and computers translate them into electronic signals that control actuators through electric motors and hydraulic systems. This technology made its way into military aircraft in the mid-20th century and later into commercial aviation. This technology was praised for its precision and ability to correct pilot error and mishandling of the controls.

In cars, fly-by-wire means that the mechanical link between the driver’s controls and the vehicle’s functions is replaced with complex electronics. In fact, in most modern vehicles the accelerator pedal no longer pulls a throttle cable that allows the control of fuel and air entering the engine. Instead, a fly-by-wire throttle sends an electrical signal to the engine control unit, which then goes through an internal process of analyzing the signal and sends a corresponding electrical signal to an electronic throttle body, which then regulates the air entering the combustion chamber, effectively controlling the amount of power the engine produces with no mechanical connection. Electronic throttle body systems have been around for a while now and have been perfected to the point that they are just as reliable as their mechanical counterpart.

The electronically controlled throttle body system did not stir up as much controversy as the newly introduced fly-by-wire systems controlling vehicle steering and braking in many new vehicles on the market today. Braking is increasingly managed by “brake-by-wire,” where hydraulic pressure is controlled electronically. Steering is the most controversial shift: with “steer-by-wire,” turning the wheel no longer physically rotates a shaft connected to the wheels—it simply tells motors how much to turn.

Mercedes-Benz and the Early Adopters

Mercedes-Benz was among the pioneers of fly-by-wire technology in regular passenger cars. In the early 2000s, their “Sensotronic Brake Control” system debuted on models like the E-Class, introducing brake-by-wire technology to the mass market. While this new technology faced reliability issues as well as some serious safety related concerns, it marked a turning point in an industry as a whole. Soon after, electronic throttle controls became standard across nearly all automakers, gradually eliminating the traditional cable. Other companies like Infiniti and Lexus followed with steer-by-wire systems in their higher-end models.

Positives and Negatives

Traditional mechanical controls as well as the new fly-by-wire systems have their benefits and drawbacks. The advantages of moving to a fly-by-wire are clear:

• Lower manufacturing costs
• Reduced weight
• Improved fuel efficiency
• Allows advanced driver aids and self-driving technology

Fly-by-wire technology also allows automakers to fine-tune the driving experience. A lot of these new car manufacturers allow the driver to change how the car drives with just a few clicks or inputs on the touchscreen. For instance, steering can be made to feel lighter in parking lots and heavier on highways. Additionally, in many cases these fly-by-wire systems are required in a lot of the autonomous driving and advanced safety features like collision avoidance systems.

While replacing old-fashioned linkages with sensors, wires and modules has some clear benefits, there are some clear and alarming downsides. Mechanical systems rarely failed catastrophically—you could often “feel” if something was wrong with the vehicle and act preemptively to avoid further damage to the vehicle or even an accident. Electronics, on the other hand, have been known to fail suddenly. For example, in 2013 Infiniti recalled thousands of Q50 sedans due to software glitches in their steer-by-wire system. More recently, Tesla has pushed the boundary further by introducing vehicles where the steering wheel isn’t mechanically connected to the wheels at all. This raises questions about what happens in the rare case of total power failure. As some of us have seen from some popular videos circulating on the internet, these failures do occur and sometimes have catastrophic results. This is the reason why automakers build redundancies into their fly-by-wire control systems; no electronic substitute can truly replicate the reliability of a mechanical connection.

Preparing for the EV Era

Electric vehicles (EVs) are accelerating this trend. Tesla’s Model S and Model X have already ditched conventional steering wheels for “yoke” designs, signaling that they see the driving interface as software-driven rather than hardware-based. Reports of incidents—like Teslas crashing while on Autopilot or sudden steering anomalies—highlight the risks of relying entirely on electronic automation. While many of these are attributed to human misuse, they show how quickly responsibility shifts when the driver’s direct link to the machine is cut.

From Driving to Being Driven

Fly-by-wire doesn’t just change how we drive—it’s reshaping the future of car ownership itself. Automakers and tech companies are increasingly investing in autonomous fleets with the vision of cars as subscription services rather than personal possessions. Instead of buying a car, customers would summon one on-demand, pay a ride fee or a subscription and be chauffeured to their destination. With the popularization of ride-share and car share apps, it is very possible that in the near future steering wheels and pedals may become obsolete altogether. Without mechanical linkages, these vehicles can be designed for automation from the ground up.

This technology can also be used as a form of control. Some manufacturers are even exploring the idea of self-repossessing cars. A Ford patent filed in 2023 described a system where, if an owner misses payments, the car could disable functions, drive itself back to the dealership or are relocate to an easier spot for towing. Additionally, multiple government and private organizations are looking into ways how this technology could be used to track and apprehend individuals wanted by the law. Whether you have made a minor traffic infraction or on the run for a capital offense, this technology may eventually be used to forcefully bring you to a location designated by a third-party operator. This sort of dystopian future is only possible because fly-by-wire cars are no longer just machines; they’re connected platforms controlled as much by codes as by hardware.

A vital thing to consider is that while these advances in vehicle technology may make your life a bit more convenient, they may also limit your freedom and infringe on your privacy rights. Additionally, as we all know, there is no such thing as software with no vulnerabilities, so it is only a matter of time before the wireless system is targeted by hackers and criminals. Just imagine you are driving to work as the vehicle control systems are hacked, and you are driven to some remote location for nefarious purposes. This may sound like science fiction, but I assure you we are not far from this reality. Some clever criminals have already begun utilizing malicious software and signal capture tools readily available on the internet to steal modern cars equipped with advanced connectivity technologies.

The Road Ahead

The shift to fly-by-wire represents both progress and loss. On one hand, it enables safety features, efficiency, and innovation that were unimaginable with purely mechanical systems. On the other hand, it may pose some security and privacy concerns. It also erodes the visceral connection drivers once had with their cars, making vehicles feel more like appliances than machines.